Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back from the break. I trust you are all refreshed.

I have one housekeeping notice. While I am in the Chair, hon. Members may, if they wish to do so for their comfort, remove their jackets. I cannot speak for Sir Nicholas Winterton or Mr. McWilliam on that point. They will have to exercise their own judgment on your behalf.

On a point of order, Mr. Gale.

Good morning, and welcome to the Committee. There may be a problem regarding Thursday's planned afternoon sitting. I have notified my opposite number, the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire), that we may need to seek a change in the programme, which will mean that the Programming Sub-Committee will need to sit. I hope that that does not cause great inconvenience to the Committee. The proposed change is caused by a clash of Government business on Thursday. We shall endeavour to enable the smooth running of the Committee and due process.

Further to that point of order, Mr. Gale. I am grateful to my opposite number, the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe), for speaking to me a few minutes ago. As I said to him, I should be grateful if you would give me a while to talk to my hon. Friends, who have only just discovered what the situation is. We shall co-operate and come back to the Committee as soon as we can with a Programming Sub-Committee resolution.

I am grateful to both hon. Gentlemen for that information, which I am sure will be of value to the Committee. Should the Committee choose not to sit on Thursday afternoon, the Programming Sub-Committee will have to meet to vary the programme motion. I understand that talks are talking place to see whether it is possible to rearrange business to accommodate other matters and facilitate Members' presence.Clause 43 Land transactions